Shannon Kerstetter

There are "good" carbs and "bad" carbs. Find a healthy balance of this essential food.

Related Videos:

Shopping for Healthy Groceries (Part 1 of 2) | HealthiNation

youtu.be/xQmVpknki7w

Shopping for Healthy Groceries (Part 2 of 2) | HealthiNation

youtu.be/4sPQgww1AdM

Carbohydrates, or "carbs", are an essential part of any diet. We need them to live and they are in almost everything we eat. They can be found in all fruits, all vegetables, all grains, and some dairy products. Most processed foods we eat are loaded with carbs.

Carbs provide our bodies with energy. They are a great source of "fuel". When we take in too many carbs then we have "fuel" to spare, and our body stores that excess as fat.

Lets break that down: Carbohydrates are made of sugar molecules. Simple carbohydrates like glucose, fructose (fruit sugar) and sucrose (table sugar) need almost no digesting. They can enter the bloodstream immediately and therefore are a fast source of energy. Complex carbohydrates contain starches that are composed of longer chains of sugars. They provide the body with a longer-lasting energy source, as well as fiber and other nutrients. Our bodies break down complex carbs into whats called glucose. Glucose is the primary "fuel" that our cells burn to give us energy.

When we refer to "good" carbs, we mean carbs (usually complex carbs) that are as close to their natural state as possible, or unrefined. Good carbs are "good" because in addition to the carbs, they contain nutrients we need like vitamins, minerals, and a range of phytonutrients.

Bad carbs are considered "bad" because of one of two things; they are simple sugars (like the ones in sodas and candy), or theyre complex carbs that have been refined (or stripped of all that "good" stuff during processing). These bad carbs are found in foods like cakes, cookies, crackers, white flour and white bread.

Another example of a bad carb is white rice. It begins as a whole grain of brown rice whose outer layers contain healthful fiber, vitamins and minerals. However, during refinement this nutritious outer layer is removed and the brown rice is transformed into white rice. Whats left of the grain is just a starchy, white center and our body sees it as a little ball of sugar. That sugar is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and rapidly raises blood sugar levels.

We need sugar, but only in combination with all those other good things.

And dont be fooled by labels that say "enriched." The enrichment process adds back only five nutrients to refined flour. But all the other nutrients from the whole grain are still lost.

So eat good carbs. You can satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fruit. Choose flour, breads, cereals and pasta made of whole grains. Look for the words "whole grain" or "whole wheat " on food labels; it should be the first ingredient listed. Good carbs tend to be high in fiber and will help keep you fuller longer. They may reduce your risk for chronic diseases (like heart disease and diabetes) and even certain cancers.

For a healthy, balanced diet, eat carbs that are "whole" in nature. Our bodies do best with the whole food as nature intended it. After all, Mother Nature is pretty smart.

Sources:

Acheson KJ. Carbohydrate for weight and metabolic control: Where do we stand? Nutrition 2010;26:141-5.

Austin GL, Ogden LG, Hill JO. Trends in carbohydrate, fat, and protein intakes and association with energy intake in normal-weight, overweight, and obese individuals: 1971-2006. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;93:836-43.

Buyken AE, Flood V, Empson M, et al. Carbohydrate nutrition and inflammatory disease mortality in older adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;92:634-43.

Hu FB. Are refined carbohydrates worse than saturated fat? Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91:1541-2.